EU funding linked to migrant quotas

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, wants migrant intake to be a criteria for fund allocationPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS

Deep west versus east divisions have emerged after Germany proposed cutting EU funding to poorer central and eastern European countries that accepted fewer refugees during the migration crisis.

The EU27 leaders met yesterday in Brussels to begin talks about how to plug a hole of over €100 billion in the EU’s seven-year budget after Brexit.

There are divisions between “net contributors”, those that put more into the Brussels budget than they get out in funding, and beneficiary countries in central, southern and eastern Europe over how to meet the shortfall. Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden have refused to pay more, while France and Germany are extremely reluctant to make extra payments that will play badly with voters.

“Our position is clear: we want a…

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